Foldable transport rack and methods of use thereof

A transport rack for storing and transporting sheet objects, said objects having a lower edge and a generally planar surface, the rack comprising:

• a base having floor-engaging legs;
• one or more support members proximate the floor and extending outwardly, away from said base, for supporting said lower edges;
• and
• one or more A-frame members hingedly attached to said base and having a surface for supporting said planar surface in a leaning orientation, said A-frame members being foldable from a generally A-shaped upright orientation to a generally horizontal orientation while remaining attached to said base, and further having hingedly adjoined upper and lower portions enabling said portions to be folded.

A transport rack for storing and transporting panel-like objects such as glass sheets, comprising:

• a generally horizontal base having floor-engaging legs;
• at least one support proximate the floor and extending outwardly from at least one of said legs for supporting said objects;
• at least one A-frame member hingedly joined to and extending upwardly from said base, said A-frame member having a supporting surface against which said objects may lean;
• and
• a strapping system for securing said objects, said strapping system comprising one or more straps each having a first end and a second end, said first end being secured to said A-frame member, and a traveler adapted for removable coupling to said second strap end, said traveler being slidably retained in said support such that tensioning of said strap causes said slider to travel inwardly toward said A-frame member whereby said objects are securely held.

A method for storing and transporting panel-like objects comprising the steps of:

• providing a rack, said rack comprising:
• a base, at least one support proximate a floor on which the rack may rest, the support extending outwardly away from said base, and at one or more A-frame member hingedly attached to said base, said A-frame members being foldable from a generally upright orientation to a generally horizontal orientation while remaining attached to said base;
• at a first location, loading said panel-like objects one at a time onto said support, said objects being positioned parallel to each other to form a stack that leans against said A-frame members;
• without removing said panels in stack form from the rack, transporting said rack containing the stack of panels to one or more different locations, ending at a final location at which said panels are unloaded from the rack one at a time.